Top roll for textile drafting machines



March 2, l93 7. E. L. MARTIN TOP ROLL FOR TEXTILE DRAFTING MACHINES Eiled June 21, 1935 gwwmtoz EDWA RD L. MARTIN Patented Mar. 2, 1937 TENT FFICE TOP ROLL FOR TEXTILE DRAFTING MACHINES Application June 21, 1935, Serial No. 27,736

4 Claims.

This invention relates to pressure rolls for spinning and drawing frames or like textile preparatory machinery, and more particularly to a variable, self-weighted top roll construction for drawing fibrous material in the form of strands, slivers or roving.

It is a well known practice heretofore in one standard system of textile drafting employing the usual drawing rollers to make the roller settings, that is, the distances between the rollers, a little wider apart than the length of the fibres being drafted so as to produce a yarn which is uniform and even. For best results in accomplishing the drafting action, it is further found to be necessary to provide the top rolls with a saddle weighted by a supplementary weight. Hence, in the adaptation of this wellknown principle to the so-called self-weighted system, the front roll alone is provided with a supplementary Weight while the remaining top rolls of the series are ordinarily made of large diameter sufficient to obtain the necessary weight. The object of this weight is to hold the back end of the mass of fibres being delivered so that the succeeding set of rollers can draft out the fibres which have left the grip or bite of the preceding set of rollers.

It has now been found, however, that a remarkable improvement takes place when the distances between the second line of rollers and the front line of rollers is less than the average length of the fibres being drafted, and by the use of a plain top roll of comparatively light weight, whereby more satisfactory and longer drafting can be accomplished. This novel type of drafting is generally referred to as slip roll drafting. This term has been applied thereto because of the roller settings used wherein the distance between the front line of rollers and the second line of rollers is made shorter than the average length of fibres being drafted and, consequently, these fibres or the longer fibres must necessarily slip between the second bottom roll and the second top roll during the drafting operation.

However, in the course of such a drafting operation, it has been discovered that for different lengths of fibres and different counts of yarn, the weight of this second top roll affects the strength and quality of the yarn spun. It is thus necessary to use a diiferent weight of second top roll for different lengths of fibres and for different counts of yarn, an expensive and unsatisfactory procedure.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to overcome these difficulties and to provide a top roll construction which is suitable for all lengths of fibres and all counts of yarn and one capable of being readily adjusted to the required weight for any length of fibre and any count of yarn being drafted.

Further objects will be apparent in the foregoing disclosure.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Fig. l is a horizontal longitudinal view partly in section on an enlarged scale of one form of top roll construction embodying my invention, in which a plurality of aligned weight bodies are disposed within a container;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a form of weight body or disk employed in the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal view partly in section on an enlarged scale of a modified form of roll construction in which interchangeable weight rods are arranged to be mounted within the roll shell;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. i;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal view of one of the weight rod bodies employed in the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 but shown on a slightly smaller scale;

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal view of a modified form of weight rod body adapted for use in the construction shown in Fig. 5 but illustrated on a slightly smaller scale;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of an end cap member for supporting the roll;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal longitudinal view, partly in section, on an enlarged scale, of another form of roll construction in which interchangeable end weight plugs and roll supporting members are arranged within the roll shell;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line !lilil of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail of one form of weight plug for use in the construction shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a detail of a similar weight plug as that shown in Fig. 11 but of lighter weight; and" Fig. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation in section of a portion of a spinning frame showing my improved roll construction applied thereto.

In accordance with my invention, I proposed to provide a top roll construction which is so made that its weight can be readily varied to suit the particular drafting requirements selected.

To accomplish this, I provide the roll with removable means so that the resultant weight obtained may be made to a predetermined amount. To this end, I preferably provide means including removable members within the roll to vary the weight thereof, whereby the tension on the fibres may be adjusted sufficiently to obtain an even draft on all the fibres.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing illustrating one embodiment of my invention, the roll construction comprises a tubular sleeve or shell I made of suitable metal having an inner longitudinal bore I2 concentric therewith, in each end of which is inserted the plugs I3 and I4 respectively for mounting the roll in its support. The end plugs I3 and I4 are secured by means of suitable screw thread connections to a rod I5 or spindle which is axially disposed lengthwise through the bore of the shell. A recessed portion I6 formed at each end of the bore in the inner periphery of the shell provides a suitable shoulder to prevent or limit the endwise movement of the plugs I3 and I4 within the bore. The plugs I3 and I4 are formed with outwardly extending central bosses I1 and I8 respectively, which are of frustro-comcal shape and serve as journals to support the roll in the frame mounting' In order that the weight of the roll may be suitably varied as desired according to the particular drafting conditions selected, a plurality of substantially contacting aligned bodies or weights 20 of disk shape are disposed within the bore I2 and mounted therein on the central rod I5. In the preferred arrangement, a series of weight disks 20 are preferably disposed at each end of the extremities of the bore I2 and adjacent to each of the plugs I3 and I4 respectively which terminate and close the ends of the shell I0. Mounted on the rod I5 is an axially aligned spring 22 which is interposed thereon in the space between the inner ends of the respective weight disks 20 of each set in order to exert pressure upon the disks so as to maintain them in firm contact and prevent an uneven distribution or shifting of the weight from the end portions of the roll. In the use of this embodiment of my invention, the roll may first be loaded to its maximum weight with small weights 20, each of which is of a definite number of grains. Thereafter, the total weight of roll required is obtained by removing the necessary number of weight bodies.

In Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, I have shown another embodiment of my invention, wherein the weight of the roll may be varied in a slightly different manner from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In this embodiment of my invention, the roll construction comprises a tubular shell 30 having a concentric bore 3| extending longitudinally thereof, within which is disposed a removable rod 32 which is of a predetermined weight. As will be more readily seen by reference to Fig. 6, the ends of the rod 32 are provided with enlarged portions 33 and 34 respectively, which in this case are shown as being of cylindrical shape, and they are adapted to fit snugly within and be rigidly supported in suitable openings 35 and 36 formed section and provided with an enlarged central portion 39 to form a heavier weight rod which may be interchanged and substituted in the roll structure in place of the rod member 32, according to the particular draft of yarn required. Thus, the weight of the roll may be varied simply by changing the weighted inner rod 32 to one of the desired weight.

In Figs. 9 and I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention wherein the roll is provided with a predetermined and selected weight by means of interchangeable and suitably Weighted end members. In this embodiment, the top roll construction comprises a tubular shell 40 having a concentric longitudinal bore 4|, into the ends of which is disposed a pair of cylindrical weight plugs 42 and 43, each of a predetermined weight, which fit snugly therein and serve to support the roll on the frame. The peripheral face of each of the plugs 42 and 43 respectively is preferably grooved to receive an annular wire spring-catch 45 composed of spring-wire, which is suitably affixed therein and adapted to be sprung into a suitably grooved channel formed in the inner periphery of the shell bore to thereby detachably secure the cap pieces therein. Thus, the roll is initially made to a specified weight by the insertion in the bore ends, of the weight plugs 42 and 43 respectively. Hence, if a different weight is required, new weight plugs 42a shown in Fig. 12, are furnished, which may be of heavier or lighter weight according to the drafting conditions employed. Also, an additional feature of this construction further consists in the above described novel method of fastening the weight plugs within the bore by the use of the spring catch 45.

It will now be seen that in accordance with this invention I have provided several top roll constructions of the self-weighted type, whereby the roll may be made of a selected and predetermined weight as desired.

In Fig. 13 of the drawing, I have shown a diagrammatic view in elevation of a conventional four roller draft system, showing one application of my invention thereto. The top roll 50 shown immediately behind the front rollers 5! and 52 respectively may comprise one of the above described constructions and is of sufiicient weight to maintain an even and uniform draft on all the fibres of the material.

It will, of course, be understood that various other modifications of my invention may be made, as will be readily apparent in the light of the above disclosure, hence the claims are to be interpreted accordingly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A top roll for textile machines comprising a tubular sleeve having a central longitudinal bore coextensive therewith, plugs mounted in the ends of the bore for rotatably supporting the roll, a plurality of spaced weight members of substantially equal and predetermined weight value mounted within the bore and adjacent to the ends thereof, means for supporting said weight members in the bore, and means interposed between oppositely-related weight members to exert pressure against the opposed ends thereof and fixedly hold said members in position for preventing shifting movement of the weight members and unequal Weight distribution thereof from the ends of the roll.

2. In a top roll, a. tubular sleeve having a central bore extending longitudinally thereof, a plurality of weight bodies of substantially equal weight value loosely mounted in spaced relationship in the bore of said sleeve, and a spring interposed between the opposed ends of opposite weight bodies to exert pressure thereagainst for detachably holding said weight bodies in relatively spaced and fixed positions in said sleeve.

3. In a top roll, a tubular sleeve having a central bore extending longitudinally thereof, means to rotatably support said sleeve, a spindle coaxially of said bore, a plurality of Weight bodies of substantially equal weight value loosely mounted in spaced relationship in the'bore of said sleeve on said spindle, and resilient means carried by said spindle and exerting pressure against the opposed ends of opposite weight bodies for detachably holding said weight bodies in relatively spaced and fixed positions in said sleeve.

4. In a top roll, a tubular sleeve having a central bore extending longitudinally thereof, means to rotatably support said sleeve, a spindle coaxially of said bore, a plurality of weight bodies of substantially equal Weight value loosely mounted in spaced relationship in the bore of said sleeve on said spindle, and a spring mounted on said spindle and interposed between the opposed ends of the opposite weight bodies to exert pressure thereagainst for detachably holding said weight bodies in relatively spaced and fixed positions in said sleeve.

EDWARD L. MARTIN. 

